I have a 12 year old daughter that started in a special school for children with autism last September, however they have been informing me that they cannot manage her. She has scolosis also but that does not seen to be the problem. She engages in a lot of crying and screaming when she gets upset, and according to the teacher is upsetting other children. She has been moved into other classes but it is not helping. My daughter has very sensitive hearing and finds it hard to cope with even the slightest noise made by others. I have tried everything, auditory therapy from cluas, ear defenders to no avail. They take her outside the class when the noise gets too much for her, but she refuses to go back in. The school has no available spare rooms so she spends her time outside the building when upset. I have spoken to the SENO but she said I will have to persist as every school will have the same problem. I am really worried.

I think the seno is right in that you wouldn't get paid home tuition currently ( that's different to you home schooling her yourself) but if you take your daughter out of school and send in a doctor's note then I imagine something would have to change! I think a case would have to be made showing that the placement was unsuitable for your dd. I have no experience of this directly though and not sure if that makes sense, maybe one if the others will clarify! It is so sad that the special school is failing her:(

You would think that special schools knew how to manage situations with sen children. While I appreciate dealing with sen children is difficult and complex, and each child has their own challenges. On the newspaper a teacher from a special school was mentioning that she was injured and threatened by sen children, and the suggestion was they should get additional sick leave for coping with such situations, instead of taking it from their existing sick leave. I think extra sick leave is not the answer, we need teachers trained to deal with behaviours, with sensory issues, with complex needs. Special schools should have hse supports also. Many special schools are in inppropriate and overcrowded buildings. My daughter had a place in a modern asd class with sensory room, with playground, and other rooms. This school has nothing. The answer to complex issues is to reduce school time, or send them home, placing the problem back with the parents. The seno stated that a child cannot get home schooling if they have a place, is she misinforming me?

Thanks to all the parents that have pm me also for your helpful suggestions.

This must be so tough for you and your dd Aine, I agree with Bredah when she says that if your daughter was happy in primary then surely it is possible to have her settled and happy again in school. I think it might have come to the point where you keep your daughter off school and get the Dr to send a note as Siobhan described. I do know there are people home schooling their children with autism - I have just joined a facebook group of that nature. Some people have chosen home schooling because they believe in it or it suits their circumstances but others are doing it because they feel they have no choice. I think it would be tough if you felt forced into it and you'd need to have good support (i.e. family and friend support). I really hope things work out for your daughter - it is so hard seeing a child so distressed:(

In my chiild's school one of the pupils constantly screams out of the blue a piecing sound every so often during the school day in a small classroom and another child who gets very agitated has to spend a lot of the day sitting in the hall or wanders around the school and joins another class for a while to avoid hearing the noise. I don't think our school has an idea how to deal with this situation either. The staff and the other children find it hard too. I wish some more qualified person would come into the school to sort out the situation as the Management staff don't seem to know how to.

Also another child had their school day reduced down a full day at school to two and a half hours because of behaviour issues. Once again it was thought that the solution was to shorten the child's day (less hassle for staff) but the child is smart enough to know that the time in school has been reduced.

Thanks for all your replies. I have had many issues with local hse services, while some of the frontline staff are helpful, others just are overwhelmed or trying to avoid you as they know you have heard all the excuses. I did state to both NEPs and the HSE on the phone that it was deeply concerning and I needed their help, but they spent the time on the phone claiming it was each others responsibility. She was in a lovely asd class in primary, out of the 6 children, 4 spent most of their time in the main classes. This means she spent the majority of time with one child, who was passive and gentle. The local secondary school with an autism class refused her, stating that all of their children were better functioning. The SENO suggested a special school. She is in an autism class where all the children have significant problems. It is noisy and chaotic. I did visit it, but 4 of the 6 children are new, so they were not present.

It is depressing to have no one to turn to to help. I even phoned TUSLA who are responsible for children who do not attend school. They offered no assistance saying they only get involved when the child is out of school 20 days. I will try and meet up with the school again, and will take your advice by putting things in writing to them. I have a cousin who is 42, who had a learning disability, he got virtually no schooling and is now in care. His parents state there was no services and proper schooling for children when he was young. We now have senos's, neps, slt, ot, autism classes and special schools but are things much better? Children are still being failed, and when you are in crisis, agencies are still passing the book. Good to hear your daughter is coping better siobhan.

Hi Aine-I'm a great one for stating the obvious but if your dd was happy in Primary then its not impossible for her to be in a good situation again. There may be a distinction between NEPS or HSE going in to provide therapies versus them needing to go in and observe a crisis situation. In our area the hse service provider will respond to getting shouted at when needed for a genuine issue. It sounds heartbreaking the way its been left to you to try to find a way for your dd through all these systems. It would be a big step for you to take on her schooling when you're already doing so much. Getting people to put things in writing is a great start. As you're already saying its just not ok for them not to care-Make them all put it in writing that its not working and they intend to do nothing about it. Do you have other aprents in your area who might be able to give you advice on what's worked for them?

Thanks for all the replies and helpful suggestions. No multi sensory room, they have no room. I did speak both to NEPS and the HSE, to be honest neither give a toss, both blaming each other, and stating each other is responsible for the services to the child. I agree the child is voting with her feet, she is also trying to communicate to me and others that she is not comfortable. She was happy in primary, she was in unit. I could not get her into a unit at secondary, they all said she needed a special school. There is so little choice for us parents. I feel I am the only one that cares for her, others, meaning the professional organisations are oblivious and unconcerned for her situation. Has anyone just walked away from it all, schools, neps, hse, senos and just looked after their child themselves?

Have they not got a multi-sensory room that they can free up for her? It would be a nice quite space for when everything gets to much.

I have heard of a class that is one child a sna and a teacher simply because the child is to sensitive/upset by others etc All children are entitled to a education and that school need to provide for your daughters education.

Hi Aine-It sounds like a really tough situation. Its stating the obvious but your dd is literally voting with her feet that the environment is wrong for her. I've no solid advice for you. The HSE service provider we're with does observations in school and does respond to crisis situations. Can you ring your dd's designated OT or Psychologist, also put it in writing and get them to observe and give recommendations to the school? I know its hard walking the line between trying to have a good relationship with the school and standing up for your dd but I think you're so right to ask staff to put their concerns in writing. It sounds alarming that they aren't being open with the SENO about the difficulties they're having. I'm probably too distrustful of organisations but it also doesn't sound right that neither NEPS nor the hse has access to the school...have you tried contacting them directly yourself to ascertain your dd's entitlements? How was your dd coping in her previous school? Sorry I can't be more help and I hope something improves for you all.

Thank you once again for your response. She has limited language, and poor social skills, but had good numeracy and literacy skills. She has no IEP, but she has not had one in years, we were told teachers are not obliges to produce one, as EPSEN has been abandoned. The school has no access to any services including NEP'S or HSE services. My daughter has had OT in the past, I phoned the HSE and was told that she is on the waiting list to be seen again, but it will not take place until October/November. I will write to the school and will ask for a detailed response in writing on how they plan to manage this.

Thank you for such a helpful response. The school will not admit to SENO that they cannot manage her, just stating she is challenging. The SENO also stated to me school have to manage her. She is refusing at times to go to school. She is an only child and at home I can adapt my home to suit. The other children in the class are all challenging, lots have behaviours that are injurious to themselves and others, and unfortunately and understandable they are loud, squeeling and eeing and shouting. She spends all the time with her hands over her ears crying, if she is wearing ear defenders she is still placing her hands over her ears crying. She has discovered if she vomits she gets out of the room. She has learned nothing since september. It is hearbreaking